


Cannon-shot to the Heart (and You're to Blame)

by SharkLanceStan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Be patient my brain is small and dumb, Both inspired this mess, Daywreckoning's Comic, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, I blame twitter for this, I'll keep churning out chapters as my brain supplies them, Keith has anxiety, Keithyyboi's Headcanon, M/M, Mostly past/backstory, Non-Sexual Slavery, Some violent content but mostly descriptive, VERY Brief Mentions, Why yes I am crazy, Writing 3 fics simultaneously?, kangst, klance, klance fic, klangst, moderate angst, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:35:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22699522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkLanceStan/pseuds/SharkLanceStan
Summary: Pirate Klance nonsense inspired by Tweeted headcanons by Keithyyboi and a comic by Daywreckoning inspired by said headcanons, which then in turn inspired this fic.Lance is a Captain of a good ship but keeps being challenged by the feared infamous pirate Keith who won't stop messing with him for some reason. Why is he so drawn to this roguish badboy of the waves? Will he ever overcome the other in battle (and romance)? What is the mystery of Keith Kogane and why does he do the things he does? What happened to the real owner of the Red Lion ship?**NOTICE - On a brief hiatus due to creative issues and writer's block. Will update asap**
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	1. A Sailor's Life For Me - Part One

**Author's Note:**

> I blame Daywreckoning and Keithyyboi for putting this in my head. I have two fics I'm working on already. I shouldn't be writing this. But it's Klance so ofc I am...

Rolling waves in shades of indigo and cerulean lapped against the sides of the gently rocking ship, sending up sprays of saltwater like silvery white confetti to greet the eyes of the solitary figure leaning staring into the distance, eyes almost the same hue as the churning waves below watching... waiting... tensed in preparation. 

For what? The next meeting. The next battle. Though more often than not this particular battle was fought with the tongue and the wit of each opponent's mind instead of with actual weapons. 

That didn't mean that such implements were not useful to punctuate a point, but this particular struggle that had been ongoing some years didn't depend wholly on the clash of blades, or the skill of one's sharpshooting to win. Such was the way with a nemesis he had heard. 

He. Lance McClain. A boy who had lived by the sea all his life, had smelled the stinging briny air since the first days he had greeted the world. A boy who not satisfied with the simple life of a fisherman like his father had always strove further, higher, better, stronger. 

A boy who had wormed his way determinedly into becoming cabin boy on a ship, advancing determinedly through the ranks of whatever ship would take him on, from crew on simple cargo ships to first mate, and then using whatever earnings he'd managed to accrue from his exploits to pay his way through Garrison Academy one of the finest nautical military establishments around. Though his peers had looked down on him.

Still he had made friends there. Hunk a good-natured, rather sturdily built young male, who seemed rather less interested in the whole dominating the seas aspect and rather more in becoming a good quality ship's cook and proving his worth below deck in the kitchen. 

Also 'Pidge' an oddly scrawny young being, with owlish large spectacles and no clear way to discern what gender they may or may not be. Pidge's interest was strictly navigation and exploring uncharted mysteries of the sea.

When Lance graduated the academy aged 22, he had been beaming with pride, unable to wait to write home and tell his Mama and Papi all about his achievements. Thinking finally, finally he'd be able to show them what he'd made of himself as a man.

The ranks of officer may have been a challenge for anyone else, but Lance had a thirst that could not be quenched. No matter how satisfying his current achievements might be, he was always alive with curiosity and desire to see more, experience more, BE more. 

And such he'd finally reached the rank of Captain of his very own ship 'La Leona Azul'. The Blue Lion. The ship was a fine craft, well-made and sturdy yet beautiful with a prow shaped like the upper torso and head of a leaping lioness, sparkling blue gems adorning her eyes, twinkling.

Lance was not ashamed to admit he had wept a little when he had first seen her. She was truly beautiful. The love of his life. 

Granted as a young virile male, tanned from a life-time in the sun (as well as certain heritage), with well muscled arms and broad reliable shoulders, tousled chocolate curls that the wind liked to ruffle in an impishly charming way and those deep sea blue eyes, sparkling with vivacity and churning with depth and determination and passion; he was very popular with the ladies, (and some of the young men too)

Loverboy Lance was his fond nickname whenever shore leave brought him to a port town, kissing many hands and flashing that dazzling white smile to the sighs and swoons of the available ladies. And yet by some mystery he never settled down or found himself a partner for life. 

Some said it was that the girls knew they could never compete with the love Lance had for his ship, or that they found his doting upon the vessel (stroking the wood and cooing soft Spanish affections) rather too strange for their tastes. 

None the less Lance McClain was a man who loved the sea first and foremost and no fisherman's net in the world was strong enough to ever snare him.

Until he had met him. His rival. His nemesis. His..... whatever words you wanted to use to describe a certain unruly-ebony-haired pain in the ASS.

Keith Kogane. A man whose origin was mysterious, but whose exploits were often the talk of any thriving seaside inn, and whose name was whispered with tones of mingled fear, awe and sometimes jealousy and disgust by sailors, wenches, and even the civilians of the port towns.

Keith was a pirate. A real troublemaker. Always in a bar brawl when he dared to set foot on the shores, and yet somehow disappearing like a shadow into the night before anyone could ever capture him.

He was a menace. His face decorated many a wanted poster in each port town, that admittedly well-formed face with its intense stare, sharp cheekbones and determinedly set jaw staring out from each sheet of parchment as if to menace the onlookers and dare them to ever challenge him.

Lance had met Captain Sulkypants by accident the first time. He might thirst for challenges but he wasn't a complete reckless idiot and didn't start fights if he didn't need to. This Kogane character seemed more trouble than he was worth and he certainly wasn't going to risk his ship getting into fights with pirates.

But that night fate had moved in strange ways and he had stumbled across the feared 'Demon of the Seas' as some called him, when he had gone to the aid of a fellow academy ship whilst sailing south of Arus Bay on a misty evening.

Despite the poor visibility, he had seen the distress flag waving and instructed his crew to move the vessel closer for investigation, raising an eyeglass to try and see in the gloom of dusk what was happening aboard the ship.

At first he could make out nothing. But then flames had flared and cries had reached his ears, and the mist had drifted enough to make out the shadow of another vessel half obscured behind a large rocky outcrop of cliff, near to the coves.

A jet black sleek looking ship with a mast red as blood and the telltale waving jolly-roger flag of a pirate ship bearing a feral looking emblem of a lions head in mid snarl. A mixture of shock, excitement and fear gripped his heart as he realised it was the infamous Red Lion. 

The Red Lion (formerly known as The Black Lion) had once been a respectable ship, the Captain one Takashi Shirogane, a man of eastern origin who was a hero of many maritime battles and acted as an authority keeping the waters safe from the vile scum known as pirates and their villainy.

But then he had vanished during on tragic night, assumed dead and killed by pirates and The Red Lion had promptly disappeared from the waters. Only to reappear less than 3 years later in the grasp of the very blaggards it had been designed to defend against. A pirate ship.

Lance had always burned with a righteous fury whenever the tales had been told to him during his time aboard various vessels. Especially after Blue came into his life. He imagined with horror how he would feel if pirates ever took his beloved ship and went about their scheming verminous business. Just the idea made his whole body tremble, fingers clenching tightly to the rail of Blue's side, as if he were a father and some monster had just threatened to deflower his innocent daughter. Never! And Red deserved to have her innocence restored too!

Yes Lance was certainly not reckless enough to start fights when there was nothing at stake, but when honour was on the line, he itched with a desire to right those wrongs that burned like blue flames inside him. A child of the water he may be, but sometimes that water had the ferocity of a tidal wave.

Springing into action he had instructed his crew to conceal Blue on the other side of the cove for safety, and taken a smaller boat instead intended to approach stealthily and try and offer what aid possible. 

Most of his crew to his annoyance were too chickenhearted to face the dreaded Red Lion and her master, in spite of him railing against them for mutiny. Only Pidge would come with him and a bare handful of others. Great. Just great. He was probably going to die because he couldn't seem to keep his nose out of business that wasn't his.

And yet, he had no desire to turn back and stay out of it either. What was begun was begun. This fight was his now like it or not. He couldn't exactly turn his back on a fellow Captain in need now could he? Even if some of them were over-bloated pompous windbags with no common sense and far more polished gold buttons than brain-cells.

He drew flush to the side of the ship and after Pidge had thrown a length of rope, expertly knotted up and caught it securely on part of the upper deck, he began to scale the side of the vessel, grunting as muscles worked overtime to haul himself up. Sea-spray in his eyes and mouth certainly weren't helping either!

Finally he reached the rail, hands gripping the edge as he hauled himself up with a grunt. A came face to face with the person he was least hoping to meet at precisely that point. 

The face staring back was much more intimidating in person than etched in ink on parchment, and yet it was also in some way more enticing. The proximity of those rugged but well chiselled features, the intensity of those storm grey eyes overshot with violet tones like a maelstrom swirling in each orb, framed by thick dark lashes, dark severe eyebrows, wind-whipped unruly jet-black locks and almost ghostly pale skin. 

It felt like if Lance just stretched out his hand a little more he could touch those cut-glass cheekbones, let his fingertips run over that ethereal skin, that fluffy black mane.

And the most frightening part? He wanted to. He knew absolutely unfathomably without question he wanted to. More than he'd ever wanted anything else. He wanted to grab that face and pull it towards his own and.... and....

A splash of water, a whip of icy wind and a yell, combined with the acrid tang of fire, brought him to his senses. What the hell. What sort of supernatural siren call had snared him there? He didn't even want to know.

Shaking his head he hauled himself with a ripple of upper arm muscles over the railing, slinging a long elegant boot-clad leg over and shifting his hips with a little hop until he was standing upright, dusting himself down and meeting the pirate's stare with hopefully fearless intensity.

"Who the hell are you?" the surly looking down-turned mouth remarked, though in spite of the vulgarity of the words, the voice seemed cultured and elegant, not rough and unintelligent as most of these sea rats were known to be.

Lance's eyes glittered like the surface of a breaking wave, jutting his chin out proudly as he answered "Lance McClain, Captain of the Blue Lion. I've come to put an end to your tyranny"

A deep throaty chuckle answered him, sounding as roguish as the bark of a wayward sea-lion intent to cause mischief, and unwilling to answer to any for the consequences of such

"Will you now? That will be entertaining... come on then, you fancy fool, let's see your weapon!" the pirate's cutlass was already out and making some swift masterful moves, seeming to whip through the air like the cutting currents of a cyclone. No wonder the rumours said this pirate stained the seas as red as his ship's namesake.

Lance drew his own sword, swallowing. Refusing to let fear grip him, as he prepared for battle which could potentially end his adventures on the sea forever. 


	2. A Sailor's Life For Me - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Lance's flashback remembrance of his first meeting with Pirate Keith. Things get extreme and a piece of the mystery enshrouding his opponent drops into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More drama! Muahaha. I enjoy writing this shit too much XD 
> 
> Keith is a complex little puzzle box for sure, and clearly messed up by some past tragedy. Here's hoping we find out soon the exact circumstances surrounding him and Shiro's absence.
> 
> Also fingers crossed Lance makes it out of the water okay!

Boots shifted on the creaking swaying deck, foam from the waves spilling slippery across the deck as the waves seemed to stir themselves into a frenzy almost out of nowhere as though a surging crowd of eager bodies formed from the water itself wanted to get a better look at the two combatants going at it.

Lance had to give the pirate credit, he was no lousy bum with a sword. He knew his moves well, parried the other's blade with strength and skill and a steely look in his eyes the whole time. 

Lance was glad that he had always had his mother's grace and flexibility as evading that deadly sharp blade edge was a work and a half. It felt almost as if they were dancing and unbidden to his lips came a bitter chuckle 

"If I had known we were going to be dancing, I would have brought better shoes" he remarked, then hesitated wondering why exactly he'd said that. 

He didn't want to dance with this rogue of the sea. He wanted to deal with the criminal, make sure the real captain of this vessel was alright and then get back to his own beloved Blue Lion, hoping that she was safe and unharmed.

He supposed it was the weather, the wind and sea combined in fey clashes, almost as if mimicking the pirate and captain's own battle. If Lance was the sea then Keith was the wind. Sharp and quick, able to attack in many directions, leaving a strange burning sensation in his wake (those who spent their years at sea knew that just because something was cold didn't mean it couldn't burn like fire)

Round and around they went, Keith's strike flicked a button or two off, a tassel here and there. And he'd paid quite handsomely for this official jacket. He hadn't the easy money of the noble-born members of the academy, anything he bought, he did so with money he toiled hard to earn. And he loathed wastage because of it.

The indignance must have shown on his face because the pirate laughed again "Be thankful I'm not taking off anything more personal, pretty-boy. Like perhaps your nose, that shouldn't be stuck in MY business!"

Lance paused tilting his head. Had the pirate just called him 'pretty-boy'. He thought he was attractive? Lance was no stranger to turning heads male or female but.... a wanted rogue pirate? That was..... new.

He shook his head and retorted stubbornly "It became my business when you attacked an academy vessel, sea scum. If you had wanted to avoid a fight, you were going the wrong way about it" he drove forward with his blade but the body that had been there a moment ago had now shifted and moved again.

Dammit he was too fleet of foot, and agile as a mountain goat it seemed with all the jumping around he was doing on a slippery deck

"Oh so you're one of those stupid windbags are you? I might have guessed. Though you're not as fat and useless as those idiots usually are..." the pirate whispered behind his ear and he whirled to retaliate but the other had moved again

Lance grit his teeth, deep down part of him knew the pirate spoke the truth. He himself had often thought the other academy officers were rich idiots with more money and sense and one too many good dinners under their overstuffed waistcoats. But damned if he'd sit here and let this sea dog spit insults about the place he'd worked his entire ass off to get through.

"Say that again and stop dancing around so I can cut your throat whilst you do it" he snapped, ire getting the better of him.  
More echoing laughter. He couldn't see his opponent at all now. Was the visibility getting worse? It seemed like the mist was growing thicker? 

He heard a rolling sound and something came rushing towards him. A wooden barrel, smoking from one end. Oh no...

He managed to dive out of the way just in time as the lit barrel of gunpowder reached the end of it's fuse and exploded taking out an entire section of the railing of the ship and causing the vessel to jerk violently to the starboard, sliding Lance across the deck towards the gap

He scrabbled at the deck but it was slippery from water, the mist and wind having combined to form rain that pelted the deck and soaked the brunette's garments, he barely caught the remaining edge of the railing, hanging by one arm with a painful jerk, but managing not to succumb to gravity and fall into the angrily churning sea where he surely would not survive.

"Had enough yet?" a voice called from the mist. Lance hissed responding angrily "You're a maniac! You could have sunk the entire ship and killed us both!"

"I prefer inventive. And I'd have survived. Also your puny little boat is below you, I'm sure your crew would have gotten you out the water. Live a little. Take a few risks!" the voice was mocking but Lance couldn't help but hear an edge of bitterness to it. 

It sounded like the voice of someone who had lost everything important to them and given up in accordance to that. It was a voice laced with deep pain. Hearing it made his heart throb and vibrate with sympathetic pains. Though why anyone would feel pity for a crazy pirate he didn't know...

"It doesn't have to be this way!" he shouted through the roar of the waves, howl of the wind and drumming of rain, not sure at first that the pirate had heard him. Only silence echoed back.

But then. Suddenly there was a silhouette right by him. A strong calloused hand pulling him back onto the deck 

"You talk too much academy brat... what other way can there be? I'm a wanted criminal, they'd shoot me as soon as look at me. This is the hand fate has dealt me. I can only be what I am" the sullen mouth was twisted with bitterness and anger but the eyes, the eyes looked so regretful. They shook Lance to his core.

"The owner of that ship" Lance breathed as he got his breath back "Takashi Shirogane. You knew him didn't you?" 

Keith hissed, the sorrow in his eyes flashing to rage "Shut your mouth, you know nothing about him! You don't even have the right to utter his name!"

And that was when Lance knew. The only type of person one could speak that way about, is a family member. The infamous pirate Keith was kin of the noble anti-pirate defender Takashi?! 

"Why..." he breathed blinking in shock.... "Why would you choose this life. Knowing what he stood for.... what he fought for? Why...."

Keith's fist connected hard with Lance's jaw sending him reeling backwards, pointing his sword to the other man's tanned jugular, Lance's own blade had been lost when he'd almost slipped from the ship the first time, and now he was being pressed into walking back towards the gap a second time, the visage before him a furious demon with gleaming violet eyes, filled with rage and pain. 

"I had no choice.... you wouldn't understand.... I had no choice" the other was rambling, the cultured charm from earlier gone, his words ragged and rain-soaked and heaving with emotion.

Lance exhaled, lifting his eyes to meet the others, trying to tamper down his fear "Try me..." he said in the calmest tones he could manage despite the situation.

However fate had decided the time for that conversation was not now and the ship had tipped crazily to the side once more sending the blue-eyed male tumbling overboard he hit the icy water with a force like a sledgehammer in his back causing him to curl inwards with a groan of pain.

The last thing he remembered seeing was Keith's face peering over the edge of the ship with a face a mixture of hardened determination and a flicker of distress as if he hadn't wanted this outcome but knew it had to be. Then he blacked out.


	3. A Sailor's Life For Me - Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End of Lance's flashback and a little bit of Keith's past explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for a little bit of violence in this chapter! Nothing too graphic though don't worry!
> 
> Poor Keith has had a rough past, no wonder he's a bit of a bad boy now. 
> 
> Next chapter should be back to the present day just FYI

When Lance gradually came back to his senses, he was back on the Blue Lion, sat in a chair with towels and blankets around his person and feet in a steaming tub of water. 

He sneezed loudly and cursed under his breath before blinking groggily around at the concerned faces overlooking him. Hunk's warm face back-lit by lantern light and Pidge at a proximity that could only be described as 'invasive' although they backed up when Lance began sneezing.

"Ughhhhh" he moaned "What.... happened?" trying to sort through his recollection of recent events.

Pidge snorted "You went for an impromptu swim after a certain pirate kicked you off the boat" they rolled their eyes 

Lance sat up straighter "What about the crew of the vessel? The captain...?" he remarked urgently, coughing a little wetly and flinching as Hunk patted his back firmly

Pidge shook their head with a grim expression "No sign. You were our priority, we got you back here as fast as we could..."

Lance tried to stand but immediately wobbled as his legs signalled their exhaustion. It had been an epic battle and then he'd practically cannon-balled the water, his body was bruised and sore in ways he'd be feeling for a while.

"Easy! You could be concussed, you hit the waves pretty hard from a good height, not to mention getting knocked about on the deck itself. Don't be reckless..." Hunk scolded him.

Lance knew as captain he could reprimand the other for taking that tone with him when he was officially his leader. But Hunk was a close and dear friend and Lance wasn't like that. "I'm fine... just a little achy" he sighed but sat back down 

For about five minutes... as there was suddenly a furore from up on deck. This time there was nothing Hunk could do to stop Lance barrelling shoe-less and half-dressed up to the deck to see what was going on.

There were the crew of the vessel they'd gone to rescue, sitting tied around the mast with a note attached to the captain's lapel via a long sharp hat pin, the type used to secure feathers to a certain type of pirate hat. 

Lance let Hunk and Pidge check over the crew and captain for injuries before snatching up the note and reading it

_You can keep your pompous windbags, I've no need to ransom their worthless lives. Consider this payment for the entertaining fight._   
_-K_

Lance sighed staring across the clearing mists of the bay. No sign of the Red Lion now. It had vanished like a phantom, along with its current owner.

"Keith Kogane.... I'll find out your story some day...." he promised clenching a shaking fist around the note, jaw setting hard with determination as steely blue eyes gazed towards the horizon. 

* * *

Meanwhile making a fast escape cutting through the mists fearlessly like a knife through butter, the Red Lion was bearing its own captain away from the scene of the crime. For a ship raid they had taken precious little loot. And Keith was having to deal with the complaints of his crew about it.

He sat gripping his small personal dagger (a gift from his mother since he was young) peeling a piece of fruit and yet not eating it, having no appetite as his stomach roiled, churning with lingering anger and emotion from the battle

In front of him greedy pirate scum fought and argued over the gold and jewels, elbowing and insulting one another and hollering loudly. Animals, the whole lot of them.

Keith was barely focusing on them though, lost in thought. He hadn't been expecting a fight. Not that he was a stranger to battle, but most of the cowards around here ran scared from him and seldom ever put up a fight. Much less risk their safety to plunge into battle on behalf of another.

The last person to do that sort of thing was one Takashi Shirogane. His adopted brother. A shining paragon of nobility and honour and dedication to protect the seas.

Protect them from people exactly like Keith. He felt a sharp pain in his stomach and winced. He'd been having these pains for a while. Ever since Shiro had disappeared that night.

He remembered it clearly. He'd been just 13 years old. Barely more than a kid and eager to be aboard his big brother's beautiful boat for the first time. He'd been a naive little fool then.

Some time in the night a band of pirates had attacked the ship in vengeance and they'd taken Keith hostage along with the rest of the crew. Shiro had fought to try and rescue him, but he'd gotten hurt and fallen into the sea. Keith had screamed out his brother's name tears flowing freely as he'd struggled against the pirates holding him, trying to get to the edge.

But he'd been tugged back into the hold and tied up and had never seen his brother again after that. The pirates laughed and scoffed about defeating him, making jokes about his body feeding the fishes and inside something in Keith had snapped. An anger and hatred and bitterness had started to grow and fester.

He'd been taken back to the pirates headquarters and kept as a prisoner and a slave, knocked around and half starved with only a bare crust here and there and plenty of abuse to shape his already traumatised mind into a further savage state.

He'd been 16 when he'd gotten his chance and stolen a blade from one of the drunken pirate louts, quick and deadly with the blade thanks to the sword-fighting training that Shiro had always given him as a kid. 

The pirates had tried to recapture him but he'd kicked their asses and made his way to the captain's private quarters, interrupting the fat pig whilst he was with his concubines, who had run screaming with blankets covering their bodies from the room. 

The captain not expecting a fight had scrambled for his own blade but hadn't been quick enough, there was a dark silhouette standing over him, wielding a blade with a fiery look of retribution in his eyes, teeth gritted like an animal about to pounce.

All the surviving pirates heard was their leaders screams and then the blood-soaked boy emerged with an expression on his face like a demon straight out of hell. They had fallen to the ground in terror when he approached, begging cowardly for him to spare their lives.

There was nothing Keith had wanted more than to kill his slave masters who had forced him to endure 3 years of torment and abuse but emotional exhaustion on top of his malnourished state had caused him to black out.

When he'd come to expecting to be thrown back in his slave quarters and in bonds once more, he was surprised to find he'd been cleaned up, with his wounds dressed and put in much better quarters. The pirates seemed to be terrified of him now and were acting like he was their leader

Part of Keith was filled with the revulsion of the idea of these wretches bowing and scraping to him as if he'd ever want to be involved with the ones who kidnapped and abused him and potentially murdered his brother.

But Keith wasn't that innocent kid anymore. He had been through things that had broken his mind and spirit. Also he'd taken lives and he knew he could never return home to the land. He was cursed to wander the seas like a tragic phantom.

Eventually he'd succumbed to becoming a pirate. What else was left to him? He was a criminal too now. Plus he wasn't about to leave his brother's ship to these thugs. At least if he lead them he could have some measure of control over their actions.

At least that had been the intent. He hadn't intended to cause trouble he really hadn't. He'd planned on petty theft here and there just to keep the pirates loyal to him. He'd never planned on taking more lives.

But the academy had decided to pin all their weight on him, making him a wanted criminal and putting those posters up, so that he could seldom ever even enjoy shore leave without some greedy idiot chasing a fat paycheck, head-hunting him to line his own pockets.

He had thus taken to terrorising the academy boats and sinking them in the hopes of scaring the idiots off. It had been working until tonight and that interfering nosy idiot had barged into his life.

That idiot with his crystalline blue eyes and nut brown skin sprinkled with cinnamon freckles and earnest expression.

That idiot who knew all about his brother's legacy and had stirred up the past reminding him of just how Takashi would feel about all this. How disappointed he'd be in Keith.

He ground his teeth, pressing a hand to his side where the painful churning was reaching a crescendo, a condition that no medic seemed able to explain fully. There was nothing wrong with him, he just got these pains whenever in stressful scenarios like this. 

A pirate near him lanky with silver-white hair and a weird almost lavender-tinged complexion had given him a companionable nudge, one of the newer recruits and thus unfamiliar with Keith's killer reputation

"Cheer up Captain, plenty of good spoils. Too bad we didn't get a hold of that other ship though. I hear she's a real beauty. Sapphires in the prow and everything"

Keith half-listened to the pirate prattle though he squirmed away from the touch of the pirate musing on the description of the boat. A lion headed boat with blue eyes. Hadn't that pretty boy captain called his ship 'The Blue Lion'? Interesting.... this might require further investigation... 

After all Lance had dropped in uninvited to his little soiree, so it was only good manners to return the favour with another little visit of his own...


	4. Friends and Foes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge gets kidnapped and Lance comes to rescue them but finds out they have an unexpected ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really horribly written chapter so I apologise for the badness, I knew I had to update and panicked but didn't know what to write to further the plot. Hopefully this is an at least halfway acceptable offering :/
> 
> Trigger warnings for Gore!

Lance went about his duties on the ship reminiscing on all the following years of rivalry between himself and the feared pirate captain.

Things had always been something of a stalemate between them. Keith always managed to evade capture somehow, and yet he seemed adamant to remain in teasingly close proximity to Lance and the Blue Lion.

He knew the rogue of the sea had the power to obliterate him and his crew and sink his beloved Blue Lion to the bottom of the see, no matter his bravado tried to argue the opposite.

And yet..... Keith seemed almost to be teasing him, playing cat and mouse across the waves, always dropping in unexpectedly, having a little clash with their swords and disappearing once again.

If Lance didn't know better he'd say the pirate was flirting with him. But one didn't normally flirt with their mortal enemy... did they?

Pidge certainly seemed to find the whole thing highly amusing and often commented wryly on the back and forth nature of their battles. The childish one-up game it seemed comparable.

They soon shut up when Lance mentioned that they could spend the rest of the voyage attached to the anchor, dangling for hungry sharks. But he was still aware of the whispers and the wry looks between his crew mates.

On Keith's side things as dimwitted as his pirates were, it hadn't escaped even their thick-headed notice that they kept clashing with the same boat and not killing its captain and crew. 

Also ever since the first time these captains had met Keith's criminal activities had been... well decidedly less criminal.

Almost as if he didn't like looking bad in front of the other. Robberies were becoming less and less and rarely did they get to kill anyone. 

There were mutinous grumblings that their captain was going soft, and Keith was going to have to do something soon or his men would lose faith in him. That was a dangerous position to be in for a pirate captain with a gang of cut-throat murderers as underlings. You had to keep the balance of power or it would be snatched from you.

After the most recent invasion of the Blue Lion two of the thugs decided to take matters into their own hands and had kidnapped Pidge as leverage to try and ransom that overly-heroic captain, knowing a noble soul like him wouldn't let their men suffer at the hands of pirates.

True enough Lance was sailing in pursuit of the Red Lion with jaw locked with anger. Keith had gone TOO FAR this time! He had entertained his games whilst it was keeping him away from crime, he had even begun to hope that perhaps this broken soul could be saved.

Though why such thoughts occurred to him about that wild-haired sea urchin, was certainly nothing to do with fevered nightly dreams of stormy grey eyes and rough but tempting lips.

Certainly not. And even if he had felt some attraction, this crime had severed through all of that. He would be taking the pirate in this time and let the authorities deal with him once and for all.

Keith meanwhile paced up and down outside the hold where his IDIOT crew had slung the 'prisoner' and with leering grins encouraged him to prove his loyalty and strength by bloodying his sword.

Keith had killed before when he had to, when his survival was on the line, but he didn't kill innocents and this scrawny little kid no matter how smart-alecky couldn't possibly have ever warranted a brutal death like this.

So he paced up and down, biting at the nail on his thumb and trying to think of some way out of this dilemma that wouldn't get them both tossed overboard and fed to the sharks.

Pidge for their part gagged and bound, sat very still watching them warily, waiting for the moment they would be killed. Why hadn't this pirate taken their life already? Wasn't this the great Keith Kogane, Scourge of the Waves?

Keith tsked muttering "Don't look at me like that..." to the bound navigator. There was a ruckus up above and the pirates were probably going to come down soon to check if he'd done the task they'd challenged him to. Fuck. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place!

He could just slit their throat quick and end their life painlessly. It was only one life. He'd done worse...

The image of Takashi his brother frowning and shaking his head entered his mind and he cursed throwing the blade at the wall.

Of course he wouldn't be left alone by the vision of his potentially dead sibling and the wave of guilt that came with not being able to rescue them. Sighing he crouched before the captive looking at them with grey eyes lost and clearly stressed 

"What would you do in my scenario huh? Kill someone undeserving of death or be killed by a crew thirsting for blood? Either way we lose our heads or swing from the yard arm"

Pidge gave him a dry look and Keith realised that of course they couldn't answer whilst they were gagged. He moved to untie the gag but paused "Don't scream. You'll only make things worse"

Pidge hesitated but nodded slowly. Keith untied the gag. Pidge promptly spat it out and after regaining their breath remarked "As tempting as it would be to say you've brought this on yourself trying to befriend crooks and murderers, I'd kinda like to live. And my idiot of a captain still thinks you can be salvaged. Though that might have changed now. If you want to prove him right though, you've only got one plan of action..."

Keith quirked a dark brow "And what pray tell would that be?". Pidge snorted and rolled their eyes "Go and get your damn sword and cut the bastards to pieces"

Keith sighed "Yeah I had a feeling it would come to that. Like I don't already have enough blood on my hands. But I'd rather kill murderers than innocents"

Pidge blinked "But you're a murderer too..."

Keith pinched the bridge of his nose "By necessity. I've no time for a proper explanation. But if we both live through this, you'll have it"

Pidge considered this for a moment and shrugged as best as they could whilst tied up "Fair.... Okay then, untie me"

Keith nodded grabbing his sword and standing behind the captive slashing the ropes. Pidge sprung to their feet and motioned to the chair "Okay now, give that a good chop" 

Keith tilted his head but didn't argue slicing the chair so it fell into 6 sturdy chunks. Pidge grabbed a large leg as a club like weapon, securing a bit of the rope for emergencies and gestured towards the stairs with mock politeness "After you Captain"

When they got above the deck the pirates were quick to the offence upon seeing their challenge unmet and the captive still alive, shouting and falling over each other like the clumsy drunken louts they were.

Keith wondered when he'd ever allowed his head to get so far south that he'd let these morons call the shots. He knew better than that. He should have killed them the first time around when he had the chance instead of growing up terrorising the seas in their name. 

Boy he had some wrongs to put right! 

Meanwhile Lance's ship was bearing down on The Red Lion with single-minded vendetta clear on his mind. He would rescue Pidge if they hadn't been killed already and then take out Keith Kogane once and for all.

Hunk normally placid stood at his side with an uncharacteristically grim expression on his face, nobody took his childhood best friend and got away with it. This time the docile chef was going to show these pirates what happened when you messed with a 6ft sturdily-built chef versed with the use of a rolling pin, and sharp knives!

When they reached the ship it seemed a battle was already taking place but Lance didn't question it, these pirates were all crazy and their captain most of all. For all he knew they were fighting over who got to throw his navigator overboard!

Scaling the rigging he grabbed a rope and when the vessels got close enough swung across to the other ships deck with a wild cry that would have been more fitting to a pirate than an academy officer.

Landing on the deck he hollered "Kogane you putrescent whale carcass, get your stinking hide on deck and fight me! I'll be taking you down today!"

Hunk not quite as versed in acrobatics, made his own safer way onto the deck and growled at some nearby pirates wielding his own two large chopping knives as weapons "Hand over our Navigator too whilst you're at it!"

Pidge jumped off the top of some stacked barrels using their momentum and the makeshift club to knock the pirates out cold before landing and rolling, springing to their feet "Hi Hunk! Miss me!"

"Pidge! You're not hurt!" Hunk chirped his grumpy demeanour immediately changing as he hurried to usher the smaller sailor behind him for safety

Pidge nodded "Yeah change of plan. Seems Keith doesn't want to be a pirate anymore. I told him to take out his own crew instead of letting them push him around to do stuff he doesn't enjoy doing. He's off doing just that. He even let me go willingly"

Hunk scratched his head blinking in confusion "Really? Oh... Uhh... we should probably stop Lance then. He's on a vendetta headhunt. He's probably going to try and kill Keith for kidnapping you..."

Pidge swore "Yeah no, his miscreant crew did that. We'd better stop Lance before one or both of them get killed, most likely by the other..."

Lance unfortunately had already charged off to find his quarry so he hadn't seen Pidge was safe. He was hunting down Keith, patting the gun at his hip. No sword-fights today. For taking one of his crew Keith was going to get a bullet in the head. End of story. There was more than one way to skin a rat!

Keith was near the prow of the red lion fighting a particularly large pirate who had always been kinda mutinous and doubtful of the legends of the 'Crazy Killer' boy who had slaughtered his way into the Captain's boots. 

The huge oaf was unfortunately well versed in weapon-handling, wielding twin scimitars his huge black moustache curling nefariously under his purple-red alcohol-tinted large hook nose. He swung at Keith's smaller frame causing the pirate captain to have to duck, weave and sometimes even jump clean in the air to avoid the deadly swipes

"Cowardly sea vermin! I knew you were no good the moment I set eyes on you! 'Scourge of the sea?' I said, more like Little Lost Lamb of the Landlubbers. Don't worry little lamb I'll be sure to herd you where you belong, off the plank in little lamb chops!" the pirate roared with laughter showing his lack of intelligence.

Keith rolled his eyes not wasting his energy responding to the taunts except to growl in low tones "Go ahead and try idiot, I'm done dealing with babying you slobbering idiots. The only crew The Red Lion needs is me. I'll be taking my brother's ship back now"

More laughter as the pirate taunted him trying to goad him to rage "Hahaha the great Takashi Shirogane. I heard of him. Now that was a TRUE legend of the seas. I bet he's turning in his salty grave at the bottom of the sea to know what happened to his ship. Taken over by pirates and his widdle baby brother pretending to lead them. All that blood on your hands won't be washed off any time soon Kogane. You were soiled the moment you stepped into our world. Your soul is as damned to Davy Jones Locker as the rest of us!"

"Shut it you blubbery lump of lard! You know nothing about my brother OR me!" Keith snarled, taking the bait in spite of himself and charging with eagerness to strike off the other pirate's head.

The scimitar on the left grazed his shoulder causing blood to pulse to the surface staining his white shirt red with the flow. Keith kept a grip on his weapon even in spite of the pain

"Chop chop. Little lamb gonna end up in the frying pan" the pirate sneered

Lance had approached behind the duelling duo whilst the fight was going on. He had no idea why Keith was fighting one of his own crew but he didn't care. He'd take advantage of their distraction to take them both out.

A part of him protested that it wasn't an honourable move. He should attack from the front where he could be seen and allow for ample attack and defence of both parties. 

But he'd been fighting fair for years and Keith ALWAYS somehow won and escaped. Usually after embarrassing Lance somehow, like the time he'd run his undergarments up instead of the flag. Or the time he'd swung down cheekily like a monkey from the rigging and openly taunted Lance by pretending he was going to cut out Blue's beautiful sapphire eyes. 

He'd of course never left even a scratch on the carved prow and any damage the ship did sustain was always of the easily repairable variety. He knew that for some reason Keith held as much respect for Blue as he did for Red and her upkeep. 

And for years that had been enough to keep the rivalry mostly friendly. But things were different now. He'd crossed the line and Lance had to stop kidding himself that he could ever change a murderous pirate.

Holding his gun ready he made his way slowly towards the combatants waiting for the right moment to shoot and take the bastard's head off.

The huge pirate spotted Lance approaching before Keith did and grinned a dastardly grin, driving Keith backwards as he began to strike his twin scimitars against Keith's single blade knowing the pirate was already injured and would struggle to defend against the sudden volley of blows.

Lance aimed ready to shoot and take Keith out but something in him locked and froze his fingers when he was about to pull the trigger. 'Not like this', his brain screamed 'It's not honourable'

"Screw honour" Lance growled under his breath but still he couldn't take the shot. Growling he dumped the gun and reached for his blade, pulling it free. But he couldn't take the hit there either. Even when the pirate's back was clearly presented to him.

Keith twisted at the last moment and reversed the roles of himself and the big pirate. His eyes widened seeing Lance there then narrowed in determination "Do it! Now!" he yelled at the frozen academy captain.

Lance unfroze plunging the blade into the thick back of the pirate causing him to roar like a harpooned elephant seal. Keith kicked the beast in the ribs so he was driven further onto Lance's blade.

The pirate dropped his weapons gurgling, blood coming from his mouth as the cold steel skewered his lungs, the behemoth dropping to the deck as he died a horrible slow death asphyxiating on his own blood. Keith picked up and scimitar and with a quick brutal slash ended the pirate with a beheading, splashing Lance's boots with blood.

The captain retched at the smell of blood. Fighting he could do but he'd never taken a life before. He looked at Keith, aware he was now devoid of weapons to defend himself since the pirate had his blade embedded in him and his gun had been kicked out of reach in the furore. He was once again at Keith's mercy!

"Do it then... you coward. Stop... these games... and take... my life. Or do you... only settle... for picking off... the weak... like my navigator" he spat at the other, wiping his mouth to try and remove the taste of bile from his throat and steady his shallow racing panicked breaths again 

Keith rolled his eyes "Your navigator is fine, they're fighting these miscreants with me. We're trying to free the Red Lion" he hissed, hand moving to try and stem the blood flow from his shoulder

"And why should I believe your lies pirate?" Lance snapped narrowing his eyes, looking around for some sort of defence from the preempted attack that would surely follow

Keith exhaled in exhaustion "They're right over there you damn idiot" he pointed and sure enough racing along the deck unharmed was Pidge closely followed by Hunk 

"Captain! Don't kill Kogane, he set me free. He's on our side!" Pidge bellowed. They came up short as they saw the decapitated pirate and cringed "Oh GROSS!" and turned quickly to block Hunk from seeing it "Don't look over here or you'll spew all over" they warned him

Hunk turned to the side so he couldn't see the body and huffing to regain his breath supplied the confirmation of Pidge's words "It's true. Pidge says Captain Kogane let them go and wants to take the ship back from the pirates"

Keith coughed discreetly. Now was not the time for this "Look I'll explain later but we need to get to safety and plan to get this vessel back from pirate control. We're out-numbered for now and even my sword skills can't take on an entire ship of armed pirates..."

Lance bit his lip hard. He really didn't WANT to trust the nonsense spouting from his rival's lips but he HAD spared Pidge and it did seem like he was truly trying to fight the pirates. He could at least spare a tentative truce until he found out EXACTLY what was going on

"Fine. Escape now. Explanation later. But don't think you can avoid that pirate. You'll tell me everything or you'll get locked in the brig!" he glowered at Keith, blue eyes narrowing at the other

The grey eyes that stared back seemed considerably less spirited than usual. Keith looked exhausted and nodded "Then... I need your help big guy..." he nodded towards Hunk

Hunk glanced to him, immediately noticing the heavily bleeding wound in Keith's shoulder "Damn! That looks bad! Are you going to be able to make it off the ship?"

Keith grunted a stubborn affirmation, nodding as best as he could though the motion pulled his collar muscles and made the wound twinge and hurt more "Yeah I'll... live. But I could do with a compress of some sort..."

Hunk looked to Lance. Specifically at the cravat that decorated the collar of his shirt. Lance looked affronted "Ugh I said I'd truce not give him my clothes!" he protested

Hunk frowned sternly holding out his hand "Lance......." he warned him. The academy sailor hissed like a sulky kid, pouting "Okay already! Here!" he detached the cravat and held it out to the other.

Hunk accepted it "Right lets try and get somewhere safe out of the way of the fray so I can take a look at you"

With Pidge and Lance circling with weapons (Pidge had picked up a blade off one of their other opponents during the battle) to defend, Hunk helped Keith towards the nearest shelter which happened to be the sleeping quarters. It was vacated as all the fighters were on deck

"Perfect" Hunk remarked helping the pirate towards the nearest bunk and getting him to sit whilst he tried to peel the shirt away from the wound.

Keith hissed his lips drawing back from his teeth in pain. A random stray thought occurred to Lance that even bloodied and in pain, Keith was still beautiful.   
No. Bad brain. Stop that. Now is not the time and also he's your enemy.

"This is worse than I thought... it's going to get infected unless I can clean it..." Hunk frowned. 

Keith growled "There's no time for that. Just slow the bleeding!"

Lance growled back "Alright you, first off that's MY crew-member so you don't get to give him orders, truce or no truce. Secondly he's a damn good medic as well as a top class chef so you'd better listen when he tells you something. Because if you die, it won't be his fault, it'll be yours!"

Keith narrowed his grey eyes whether in pain, anger or thought, hesitating before exhaling "There's probably some alcohol around here that'll clean it. It'll have to do at short notice"

Pidge was on their feet "I'll find it" they remarked and ran off to do so leaving the others to their work


	5. Tangled Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance finally get over their issues and bond after Keith explains the truth behind his actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh at last these boys are starting to understand one another, hopefully things will go more smoothly between them from now on! 
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter please leave me a comment and some Kudos. Thanks!
> 
> Also I'd like to take this moment to plug another great fic by Autumn_Ignited and Sail_Uncharted called 'Star Cursed' which you can find [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22779799/chapters/54434782) Go give it a read and give them some Kudos too!

After Pidge had located some alcohol that wasn't completely soiled and disgusting (on a pirate ship this was somewhat like hunting for a needle in a haystack), and Hunk had cleaned and dressed Keith's wound to the best of his capabilities, they went off to try and secure further defences and a method off the ship back to the Blue Lion.

This left Keith and Lance unattended and very VERY awkward in each other's company. Why was it so much easier to hurl insults at the other than have a civil conversation?

Lance couldn't help himself from making very catty remarks about the state of the ship, running his finger along a surface and grimacing at the black mark left on his white gloves. Grotesque. 

"You treat this vessel like a scullery maid's laundry tub. I half expect to find dirty linens flying from the mast instead of a flag. The Black Lion was a legend of her time, how could you let her become this dirty and abused?" he sniped as if he were trying to score points against the other male

Keith clenched his fists, the motion pulling on his newly patched up shoulder and collar region and causing him to bite his lip from discomfort "Sorry if I'd have known you were coming I'd have put lace doilies on the tables..." he bit back sarcastically, inside his emotions a mixture of seething anger at Lance's cruel provocation and guilty acceptance that his brother's ship really had gone to ruin under his care.

Noticing the way the pirate squirmed and those dark brows furrowed deeply over grey eyes, Lance could tell his words had been cutting in a way that his blade never could and inexplicably he felt a little bad for kicking the man whilst he was down. That wasn't the fair thing to do. He ought to know better.

Turning to face away in awkward silence his hands clasped behind his back. Why were Pidge and Hunk taking so long blast it all? He didn't deal well in scenarios like this!

"I didn't intend for this all to go down like this..." Keith's voice cut through the oppressive silence, seeming to surprise both of them, Keith's own expression seeming surprised that he was making such admissions

"Indeed?" Lance remarked warily, leaning against the wall to regard the pirate "And what exactly WAS the grand plan?"

Keith made a frustrated face "I don't know! I just.... my brother disappeared! I just needed to survive..... I wanted to find him..... I....."

He sounded so very vulnerable in that moment that Lance forgot who he was talking with and felt a surge of desire to comfort the other, quickly coming to his senses and dismissing it as absurd. If he tried to say anything kind to this pirate no doubt he would take offence to it and slit his throat for patronising him.

"You said you would explain the situation when things were calmer. Well I'm listening... tell me why you do these things. Why you became a scourge of the sea and why you want to quit now. It seems as far-fetched to me as a child's fairy tale... explain to me just why I should trust you" he found himself saying.

Keith glowered sullenly, he wanted to retort "I don't owe you a damn story", but instead when he opened his mouth a weary sigh came out "Fine.... I'll tell you, but don't you dare interrupt or I'll run you through"

Lance leered "If you can with your fighting arm damaged..." 

Keith narrowed his eyes, reaching for his sword "I'll demonstrate if you want..."

Lance held up his hands, snorting softly "I'll pass thanks... go on with your story"

Keith made a light "Tch" sound of irritation but continued, explaining about the day the pirates invaded the ship when his brother had, had him on the boat. How they had used him as leverage to get Shiro to surrender his weapons, then had forced him overboard into the sea taking himself and the surviving crew prisoner. 

He explained what being a slave had been like. How the filthy rogues had abused him physically, and mentally, pulled his hair and hit him with the pommels of their swords, had sometimes starved him to try and force his obedience.

Eventually half crazed with exhaustion, hunger and grief for his brother whom he had suffered nightmares about since the night of his capture until the current day, he had snapped mentally and when a drunk pirate came to harass him he'd lunged like a feral animal and gotten his weapon off him and killed him in cold blood.

That first taste of death had been what ruined him ultimately, he'd gone past the point of return in his own mind the moment he'd taken a life. He didn't deserve salvation, he was soiled and would never reunite with his brother in the afterlife. He was lost for good.

With the knowledge that he was condemned to the pits of Hell no matter what he did, he had given up his morals and fears and fought like a wild animal only for survival. When he'd killed the former Pirate Captain he'd been treated with fear by the surviving pirates who had made him their ruler. 

He hadn't wanted to rule them. He'd wanted to kill them. But he'd also wanted to survive, and he'd known if he killed these pirates there would always be more enemies that would come to challenge him, he would never escape the darkness that had tangled itself around his soul like iron chains

He'd intended instead to control the pirates and keep them out of the worst mischief, but the academy wouldn't stop chasing him. Most of the times he'd attacked Academy vessels it had been because THEY had sought him out instead of vice versa. The latest idiot with a few medals who wanted to earn himself glory by bringing back the head of the Infamous Pirate Keith Kogane.

Sometimes he couldn't control his pirates and they kidnapped or killed people behind his back and he was left cleaning up the mess. Thus had been the situation with Pidge. He'd never wanted to take them aboard. And the Pirates had challenged him to kill the young navigator so he could prove his loyalty.

"And then you arrived when I was trying to regain control of my ship. I let your crew member go myself, I swear it... but you probably won't believe me" he sighed finishing up, and staring down at his hands as if expecting the other male to laugh at him or spit further insults.

Lance was so quiet that eventually Keith looked up, seeing a strange look on the other captain's face. He was looking at Keith with the most concerned distraught expression like he'd just discovered a box of abandoned kittens on a beach with the tide coming in ready to drown them. 

Keith growled and remarked "Don't look at me like that. I don't need your pity. Whatever. You asked and I told you. Now you know"

Lance composed his features nodding in silence "I uh.... I had no idea.... Honestly in the same situation I'm really not sure what I would have done..."

Keith looked askance at him "You mean you actually believe me? That's unexpected. I figured you were one of those righteous fools who just assumed I was lying scum and couldn't be believed. I mean you said as much right on the deck..."

Lance frowned "I'm sorry.... but from my perspective it didn't really look good for you, there were so many rumours flying about, about the terrible things you had done. And people love to exaggerate those types of stories... also nobody had ever mentioned that Captain Shirogane had a little brother..."

"We're not blood kin... he rescued me from a shipwreck when I was small, nobody knows how I made it to shore when all the rest of the crew of my vessel were drowned at sea. He used to say I was his miracle. That god had allowed me to live for a reason. What a joke that turned out to be" 

Keith's expression was bitter, head lowered so his dark bangs almost obscured his grey eyes but what Lance could make out of them, they seemed full of pain and guilt and distress, the brown hand of the other male clenched helplessly, part of him wanting to reach out, to say something that would make that horrible expression go away. But he had no idea how. 

And just a few moments ago he'd been bullying Keith about letting his brother's ship go to rot, what a moron he was!

"Keith" he said earnest tones making the other male look up at him quietly "I can't promise you what will happen next, the situation is really difficult... you're a wanted man, I can't name how many people on land want to see you hang for your crimes. But I can promise you that you aren't alone. We'll work out some way through this together, alright? Perhaps if you take care of the rest of the pirates and we make it clear that it was their doing not yours, the Queen might pardon you. It's not totally impossible..."

Keith snorted softly "You're daydreaming if you think that will ever happen. Like you said people want to see me swing from the gallows. Or else rot in a gaol cell for the rest of my natural years. I've killed people, I can't be redeemed. You should take back your navigator and make a clean break whilst you still can, and stay away from me. I'm cursed"

Lance rolled his eyes "Come now, dispense with the dramatic talk. We've been at this silly rivalry for how many years now? Haven't you learned that I never back down from a challenge? Curse or no curse, our fates were joined that first night we met and you know it well and good. Whether you're my nemesis or my ally, I'm in this till the end"

Keith made a soft huffing sound of amusement "Well you always were an idiot"

"Better an idiot than a madman"

"Better a madman than an overstuffed peacock"

"Rather be a peacock than a salty sea dog"

"You're absolutely insufferable"

"The feeling's mutual"

Keith grinned in a feral way, the expression seeming to light up his features, he looked so much more attractive when he was smiling. Lance felt his heart flutter a warning in his chest but ignored it

"Anyway, we'd better find what's taking the others. Hopefully they've not run into trouble with your ex-crew"

Keith nodded, the smile fading to a grim serious expression "Aye. The sooner we toss those rats overboard and get control of The Red Lion the happier I'll be"

"Agreed" Lance straightened, equipping himself with a scimitar from a nearby bunk. It wasn't his own sword but he would make an exception in this scenario

Making a mock bow at the door barring the way between the sleeping quarters cabin and the deck he gestured "After you, I insist"

Keith chuckled "What a gentleman" he teased "Lets hope you're as good with your weapon as you are with your words, eh, Loverboy"

Lance froze at the use of his affectionate nickname. Where had Keith heard THAT? And why was his heart now trying to beat out a rhythm against his rib-cage at hearing the other say those words?

Keith was unaware of the effect he'd had on Lance as he opened the door gingerly with his good arm and strode out onto the deck to survey for signs of trouble and for Lance's crew mates. It was too quiet out here and that meant one of two things. Either the it was good news and the pirates were already taken care of (unlikely), or it was bad news as their fellow allies were in trouble. 

Knowing his brutal ex-crew members he sighed and hefted his weapon, motioning to Lance behind him "Come on, these bastards are up to something, lets go find the others..."


End file.
